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Baden-Württemberg and its researchers

The universities, universities of applied sciences and research institutions in Baden-Württemberg cover the full range of research topics and subjects that are essential for the bioeconomy, including in particular the agricultural sciences, forestry, soil science, plastics technology, materials science, textile engineering, food technology, energy, food technology, economics, chemistry, biology, biotechnology, ecology and ethics.

The Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts established a bioeconomy strategy group in 2012. The strategy group consisted of experts from universities, universities of applied sciences and non-university research institutions who analysed the situation in Baden-Württemberg against the context of the bioeconomy.

They analysed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of a broad range of bioeconomy-related aspects. At the end of the process, the strategy group suggested three research areas in which research projects could be carried out to push forward the transition from a fossil fuel-based to a biobased economy in Baden-Württemberg in the medium and long term.

In 2013, the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts adopted the "Baden-Württemberg Bioeconomy Research Programme" which aims to implement the research strategy developed by the strategy group. The ministry will provide funding for relevant research projects as well as structural measures. The programme runs for five years and is financed by the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts. Major focus will be placed on the following three themes: biogas, lignocellulose and microalgae.

Current research topics

In the new gene technology report, the interdisciplinary working group of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences (BBAW) takes stock of gene technology developments in Germany during the past few decades, and discusses the societal, legal and ethical challenges associated with these technologies in the future. The report is highly topical due to the controversy surrounding the ruling of the European Court of Justice on CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing.

Chemical model systems can be used to study the processes of plant photosynthesis with the goal of tapping sunlight as a source for covering the energy needs of the future. Researchers from Ulm have now developed an artificial leaf based on a manganese-vanadium oxide catalyst which can effectively carry out the critical photocatalytic reaction of splitting water molecules into hydrogen ions and molecular oxygen.

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Researcher profiles

Molecular biologist Marja Timmermans has found out how plant cells can communicate with each other using mobile ribonucleic acid molecules. The use of small RNAs (sRNA) is a fundamental principle that applies not only to plant cells, but also to animal and human cells. These days, Timmermans' laboratory methods are used around the world. She has recently been awarded Germany’s most highly endowed international research award - the Alexander von Humboldt Professorship. An Alexander von Humboldt Professorship has brought Timmermans from the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in the USA to the Centre for Plant Molecular Biology in Tübingen where she will continue her research on sRNA mobility.

Dr. Stefan Schiller from the Institute for Macromolecular Chemistry at the University of Freiburg became interested in the diversity of molecular possibilities in nature as a student and is now a specialist in bionic chemistry and synthetic nanobiotechnology. Amongst other things his work involves the construction of complex protein machines that transfer signals protein networks for use in medicine and drug shuttles that enable the targeted application of drugs.

BIOPRO Magazin

Biobased plastics

The new priority topic "Biobased plastics" clearly shows where bioplastics are already found in our daily lives. The BIOPRO Magazin is free of charge and can be ordered online from BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg.